Directing
In this remarkable journey, Planet Food travels the world to see how control of the spice trails, over the last five millennia, has made great cities and destroyed ancient civilizations. Our guides travel from the Molucca Islands of Indonesia, the original home of cloves and nutmeg, to the Indian province of Kerala, with its native pepper and cardamom. Additional stops include Venice, Beirut, Cairo and other significant places in the spice trade that created and toppled empires.
Stuart Northcote, a London adventurer, slays the president of a mythical South American republic, and establishes himself at its head. Mercia Solano, daughter of the slain official, leads a conspiracy to avenge her father's death by killing Northcote. The adventurer escapes to London, however, after looting the republic's treasure chest. He is pursued by Mercia and a band. The adventurer, perceiving his deadly peril, employs Jack Burton, an impoverished young Englishman, to act as his double. The girl shoots at the double, and other fiendish plots are carried out to kill him. Burton frustrates them all.
Tom Conway, a wealthy American from Yonkers, saves a girl from assailants while in London and, with the help of a friend, Tiger Bugg, finds her lodging for the night with Molly Montrose, their actress friend. The following day, Molly discovers that both her jewels and the girl are missing, and Tom supposes that the strange girl, who gave her name as Isabel Francis, is responsible for the theft. Tom later learns that Isabel is the Princess of Lividia, who has run away from her country rather than marry King Danilo (who has also run away and is in London, paying court to Molly Montrose). Danilo and Isabel are kidnapped by agents of Lividia and taken home to be forcibly wed. Tom and Molly follow them, and Tom prevents the marriage.
